GSA is a phenomenon of familial bonding that has been delayed until adulthood.
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About Us
Julie DeNeen
Co-
Julie has her bachelor's degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of New Haven. She resides in Connecticut with her husband of ten years, and their three children. She is an entrepreneur and musician, as well as a private piano instructor for children.
Julie was raised by her birth mom and her husband, who adopted her legally at the age of two. Julie had no contact or information about her biological father from birth to age 13, at which time she sought him out. They had a brief connection during her teenage years, but grew apart as she became an adult.
At the age of thirty, Julie again reached out to her birth father and reunited with
him and his family. Their relationship had all the hallmark symptoms of Genetic Sexual
Attraction. In her search for answers, she found the GSA forum, Carly Sullens, and
Barbara Gonyo-
Her unique courage and tenacity has been the propelling force of bringing GSA back into awareness and providing the community at large with educational and personal writings about GSA.
Currently, both she and her father are working to mend and normalize their relationship with the help of therapy and the GSA forum support team.
Carly Sullens, ATR
Co-
Carly has a Master of Arts degree in Art Therapy from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and an Bachelor of Science degree from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.
As an art therapist for over 13 years, Carly is skilled working with clients on such
issues as; depression, anxiety, post-
She has received additional training to work specifically with women who are pregnant and the postpartum period that follows. Carly is a certified Birthing From Within childbirth educator and Doula (someone who supports women and their partners through labor, deliver and postpartum), and was trained by Pam England, the developer and author of Birthing From Within. Carly specializes in counseling women who have experienced birth trauma. She has been guided by Birthing From Within to understand and mentor others on the importance of the life long impact that birthing and early attachment has on the whole family system.
Carly's early attachment and abandonment history began when she was adopted at 4 months old. At age 33, she sought and found her biological family while she was pregnant with her second child. The motivation to find her kin was to gain a more comprehensive medical history and satiate the wondering of where she came from.
Her initial visits with her biological family were cordial and respectful, however, geography made it difficult to maintain a deep ongoing connection. Five years later when her (adoptive) mother was actively dying from cancer she reached out to her biological father who was living 40 minutes away form her adoptive mother for comfort and found herself bewildered and overtaken by the profound and confusing emotions of wanting to deeply bond. She later learned that what she and her biological father where experiencing was a phenomenon called genetic sexual attraction.
As a clinician, Carly researched GSA, but was disconcerted when she realized that GSA has been ignored in academic circles. The lack of any serious psychological research was alarming and shocking to her. Carly found Barbara Gonyo's book and forum as the main and almost only resource. Barbara is the pioneer of GSA bringing attention to the subject in the 1980's when she reunited with her son and experienced GSA herself.
Carly has been personally supported by Barbara and now advocates for GSA awareness and healing alongside Barbara and Julie DeNeen. In addition to working directly with Barbara Gonyo, Carly's unique perspective on attachment and the profound bonding process from her Birthing From Within training and her psychotherapy art therapy work has steered her to be one of the leading experts on genetic sexual attraction.
Carly is married and is raising two children. She and her husband have mended and repaired from the assaulting force GSA can have on a marriage and family.
Her words about GSA is from her own personal experience, research and advising other's struggling with GSA. Because she is not in a professional relationship with those who come to this blog, the advice is for informational purposes only, not for treatment.
